Net Zero Living

Ah, whenever I see stories like this, I am once again reminded of my favorite tenant of all time. She was brilliant (retired quite early) and just traveled the world while living in one of my studio apartments. What I loved about her was her simplication of her life, literally downsizing from a grand home to a small studio and she loved it. Yeah, a nice big house is great and all, but to be able to have a place like this that is so environmentally sound is kinda cool and would be impressive around the water cooler in my book.

http://www.eastbaymodern.com/blog/net-zero-living-comes-to-oakland.html

I think NetZero is different from Tiny Living which is what your tenant seemed to be doing.
800-1200sq ft is still fairly sizable especially if their crowd is single-working peeps.

I don’t know, I still think it is still within the general idea of being more conscious environmentally, so net zero or living simply and having as minimal a carbon footprint as possible. She retired by 50, extremely intelligent, was able to travel the world as she pleased, and quite attractive for her age that I was very surprised she didn’t let another gentleman (was divorced) catch her. I still hear from her when she is in some exotic land and she sees something that might remind her of her time in SF.

Sounds like she traded carbon-house living for carbon jet-setting. Doesn’t sound more environmentally sound! But I agree that leaving less behind reduces worries when travelling.

My husband is into the tiny living thing. Really, I think he’s into a simple bachelor life. We don’t live tiny because we have kids, and I have physical hobbies. Whereas everything he does is online. I think if we had money to spend, I would buy a large acre lot and build him his tiny house in the backyard. He could go there and get peace and quiet and sleep late without the boom boom boom of the kids running through the house… Until of course, they go out and pound on his tiny door because they want to see him.

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Yes, world traveler but did it as environmentally soundly as possible. Had a ton of people following her on youtube due to her many travels. Walked everywhere. Didn’t own a car. Turned vegan too. She often walked across the city, across the GGB and then some. I was always worried. Can’t lose my meal ticket after all :grin:

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My husband has few wants: big tv and game show network. Sounds simplistic. Big tv requires a bigger room for best experience. GSN requires the top tier services.

I watch tv on occasion (mostly movies) and am often perplexed why spending an evening watching GSN makes him so happy. He also reads. He has not retired because beyond GSN and reading he has yet to figure out what to do with his time.

Every client I don’t renew with I feel freedom coming. I have time to breathe. Time to think and time for people. When I nearly lost two family members this year I realized that they mattered more than any work I do.

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While I am downsizing/trying to simplify my life by getting rid of stuff in my home and and trying to really enjoy life (as yet another family friend just passed away), I must admit I share your hubby’s want of a big tv. I don’t ask for much, but that is a big want for me too. We love the occasional movie on the weekend and of course sports on a nice big tv with surround sound coming through our walls in my home theater is the best way to do it. I have been eying a +90" tv to replace my current 60" Sony but it simply won’t die…:grin:

I think it’s funny that more and more homes seem to have “theaters”. As if that is up and coming while elt1 is observing dining rooms and living rooms going away.

No doubt, as those were some of my very thoughts even back in 2003 when I bought my home and tore it down to studs to remodel it. No longer wanted the formal dining room so made the dining area flow really well with kitchen and converted my capped living room into a theater room by wiring the home with speakers throughout the house for those times when I want to reminisce about Prince and need to hear Purple Rain everywhere…

Most people today, especially family and guests who come to our home, they want to hang out in the kitchen/dining table areas where the food and wine are!!! We have a tv and computer screen on the kitchen peninsula for those who want that too.

I don’t know why the open floor concept did not catch on much sooner quite frankly.

We inch closer to the dream…

Show us how to do it, Norway!!!